Emotional Intelligence for Professional Success: What I Learned From Dr. Debra Dupree of Relationships at Work

This past week, Dr. Debra Dupree from Relationships at Work was my guest on Critical Mass Radio Show. Dr. Dupree is taking strides when it comes to helping people recover from drama and trauma from their past and helps them re­direct to discover positive karma. She uses her personal experience to help shape and mold people into becoming a new person that’s ready for success and stronger performances. Here are three takeaways from my time with Dr. Debra Dupree on Critical Mass Radio Show:

1.Emotions are hard­-wired. Most, if not all, of us have experienced trauma in some form throughout our lives. While we usually think of trauma as post-­traumatic stress that can occur from major traumas or disasters, there are also less extreme traumas that can still cause a significant impact in a person’s life, such as the loss of a job, a failing marriage, the lost of a loved one, or even something like not succeeding in personal and professional goals. These events result in a misdirected firing of our neurons in the brain that actually can help contribute to how we feel and act in a given situation.

2. Present yourself in a positive way. The primary way to avoid a bad “bossing” reputation in your given leadership position is to take a look at how you are preventing yourself. This includes physical presentation, body language, as well as vocal tones. These small changes can allow you to reach new levels in your ability to lead and present in a powerful, persuasive, and influential way.

3. Emotional intelligence matters. Believe it or not, intellect, or IQ, is only about 30% of who we are. The majority of who we are is a result of our emotional intelligence, which is rooted in developing self-­awareness, knowing your triggers and your physiological and emotional responses to them. The four core emotions are fear, anger, shame and happiness. Three out of four of these core emotions have a negative basis. Because so much of our emotional experience is negative by nature, it is essential to learn how to monitor and self­-manage these feelings, and figure out what sources typically trigger negative emotional responses. It is also essential to develop an awareness of others and be aware of how your approach to interactions impacts the people you are working with. Two other primary elements of emotional intelligence include the ability to manage relationships and develop the people around you.